Global wildlife numbers have declined 73% since 1970, says WWF

Sub : Env

Sec: Biodiversity

Context:

The World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature’s Living Planet Report (LPR) 2024 highlights a 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations from 1970 to 2020, up from a 69% decline in the 2022 edition.
The report emphasises the need for significant “collective effort” over the next five years to address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Details:

Living Planet Index (LPI), provided by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), tracks 35,000 population trends across 5,495 species from 1970-2020:
- Freshwater ecosystems show the steepest decline at 85%.
- Terrestrial ecosystems face a 69% decline.
- Marine ecosystems have a 56% decline.
LPI in 2024 and 2022 reports are not directly comparable due to changes in datasets (265 additional species, 3,015 more populations added in 2024).
Wildlife declines signal potential extinction risks and vulnerability of ecosystems to tipping points, which could lead to irreversible changes.

Key Threats to Wildlife:

Habitat loss and degradation, driven by unsustainable farming and food consumption.
Over-exploitation, invasive species, and diseases.
Pollution, especially in Asia and the Pacific, which has seen a 60% decline in wildlife populations.

India’s Wildlife Recovery:

While many populations have declined, India has seen some success due to government initiatives, habitat management, and community engagement.
India hosts the largest wild tiger population, with a minimum of 3,682 tigers recorded in 2022, up from 2,967 in 2018.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) recently launched the first Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI), which systematically evaluated 70% of their potential range.
This assessment estimated the snow leopard population at 718.

Vulture Decline in India:

Three species — white-rumped vulture, Indian vulture, and slender-billed vulture — show significant declines (67%, 48%, and 89%, respectively, since 2002).
Conservation efforts are urgently needed to protect these scavengers and maintain ecological balance.

Global Perspective:

Nature is under severe stress due to linked crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, threatening critical ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs.
Countries have pledged to halt nature loss (Global Biodiversity Framework), limit global warming to 1.5°C (Paris Agreement), and eradicate poverty (UN Sustainable Development Goals).
However, current national actions are insufficient to meet 2030 targets and avoid catastrophic tipping points.

About WWF:

WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 30 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries.
WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

About ZSL:

Founded in 1826, ZSL is an international conservation charity, driven by science, working to restore wildlife in the UK and around the world; by protecting critical species, restoring ecosystems, helping people and wildlife live together and inspiring support for nature.
Through our leading conservation zoos, London and Whipsnade, we bring people closer to nature and use our expertise to protect wildlife today, while inspiring a lifelong love of animals in the conservationists of tomorrow.